#bar people
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/AJL SUBSTANCE ABUSE ALCOHOL, general
For most people, a small amount of {alcohol} does no harm & it is enjoyable. Alcohol is best when you don't overdo it. Drinking too much, or even drinking a little at the wrong time, can cause problems.


The most important thing you need to know is the amount of alcohol in your drink & how different drinks compare.
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The following drinks each contain roughly the same amount of alcohol. You can think of each as 1 !i! unit.


#unit
/1 UNIT =
!n! - half pint !i! ordinary !n! beer or lager
- single measure spirits, (e.g. scotch, gin) - 1fl/oz 
- a standard glass wine
- a small glass sherry
- a measure vermouth or aperitif


#strong lager
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This rough guide only applies to drinks bought in bars & pubs. Home measures tend to be more generous. Home brews could be much stronger. Extra-strength lager contains !b! almost 3 times !n! as much alcohol as ordinary lager!!


/Low-alcohol & alcohol-free drinks
More & more people are drinking low-alcohol & alcohol-free drinks - lagers, beers, ciders, wines, or mineral water or fruit juices. If you need, or !i! want !n! to cut down your drinking, try changing to low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks. 1 pint of strong lager contains 4 units of alcohol, while most pints of low-alcohol lagers have less than 1 unit.


#sensible limit
/Sensible limit
It is important to keep to sensible limits if you want to avoid damaging your health. Young & old people are more at risk & should drink less:
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MEN - up to 7 units/week
WOMEN - up to 4 units/week


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It's advisable to spread the amount throughout the week, with 2-3 drink-free days, as your body needs time to recover from drinking alcohol.